Miss Green
by Vicarmann
Summary: The action takes place between seasons 3 and 4.  Shego is gone, Kim is miserable and Ron has no idea what to do next.  Meanwhile Drakken realizes he is going to be in jail for a very long time.  Rated M because people die and this isn't the Mouse's world.
1. Lost

This is my first attempt and I hope you like it. This may become a one shot if my back brain continues to refuse to release the other chapters.

Day 0 - 0421 GMT – The Third World

She was grateful that the black and green of her jump suit blended so well as she risked a peek out of the shattered doorway. Her eyes swiftly scanned the derelict leaning houses of the abandoned village. She saw inanimate objects and nothing else. Pulling her head back she sank down against the wall grateful for what she hadn't seen. Flipping a stray lock of raven hair from her face she looked over at her blond partner as he finished applying another pressure bandage to his leg. When the sitch went West they'd run for it and were almost clear when a last burst from a militiaman had clipped him. He'd been moving well but his blood had completely soaked the first bandage. Swallowing hard she asked him the important question.

"Are you mobile?"

His brown eyes snapped up and locked on hers. "Yes." Leaning his head back against the rough surface of the mud wall he drew a deep breath then rose smoothly to his feet without using the wall for support while keeping most of his weight on his undamaged leg and most of the pain out of his face.

It's an important distinction between mobile and able to move he thought as they regarded each other across the small room. Mobile meant they were still a functioning team. Able to move meant either she would have to sneak away and distract the opposition so he could make it to the rendezvous or more likely he would wind up the distraction and he'd done enough of that in the past.

The two of them regarded each other across the room, her eyes questioning the truth of his statement and his face selling the lie. After a moment she too rose to her feet and he breathed an inward sigh of relief. The break had been short but it was past time to get moving before something nasty caught up with them.

As she checked the outside again he double checked that they hadn't left any traces. Standard Ops think; never leave any traces. Traces let the opposition know that they are on the right trail. "Be like moonlight." he thought recalling old lessons "Leave no sign that you've ever been there." Unfortunately this time the mission profile had been more like a brick through a windshield and by God somebody was going to pay dearly after they got clear.

Peek, peek, stare; she again checked the outside environment for threats. No people, no movement, just mud walls, flat roof tops and the dirt path with a sad looking little stream running down its middle. Her nose wrinkled in disgust at smell and the thought that the stream had been used for both drinking water and sanitation. Back when there were still villagers. Still watching she motioned to him with her right hand.

Moving to her side he gave her gloved hand a reassuring squeeze. "You know" he whispered, "this reminds me of the last scene of one of my Dad's favorite old movies."

"Really?" she asked as she took a moment to tuck her long black hair under her fatigue cap. Nervous habit really, sort of a last hesitation before plunging into cold water. "Which one?"

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

"I think I remember that one. It didn't end well did it?"

"No, it didn't." He had to grin at her. "Thank God this is real life. We're going to be fine. Let's move."

Quick and quiet the two of them left the cover of the hut and moved down the path toward the pickup point, one on each side of the stream keeping close to the walls. Neither had a weapon because it hadn't that kind of Op and now nothing short of an armored brigade would help. Stealth and speed were what would save them.

She checked him out of the corner of her eye; his leg didn't seem to be affecting him as he trotted along slightly behind her watching their six as he moved. He was pale but then most blonds are.

Focus she told herself. Recalling the map she knew they had to cover another 100 yards to the edge of the village, then two miles to the rendezvous. After the pickup it would be a short flight to medical support and then back home to air conditioning, debriefings, and

She didn't really see the militiamen just the muzzles of their weapons and time slowed to a crawl and then the red-yellow flames sprouted from the muzzles and then

Day 0 - 1042 GMT – The Center

File in hand Gray paused before the door, straightened his tie, knocked, waited for a count of five and then entered the office.

White wasn't at his desk. Instead he stood to the left of his desk hands clasped behind him staring at a blank white wall as if out a window.

Without turning his head White asked the first question cutting to heart of the matter. "Mr. Gray, what is their status?"

"We've lost them sir. The locals were on them as soon as they arrived. We have no product and the extraction failed."

White closed his eyes for a moment to digest the news and then spoke again. "What is the team's confirmed status?"

Gray hesitated for a moment, reluctant to pass on the news. "We were able to intercept the local militia commander's initial report, he included pictures of their…" Gray paused as he searched for a delicate next word, "remains sir. The extraction team was immediately recalled and has returned intact."

Gray laid the file on White's desk. "These are copies of the message traffic for the insertion team including their last transmission, all messages from the extraction team and a copy of the militia commander's report… with photographs. The event is hitting the wire services but there's no link back to us."

White sighed, dropped his hands to his sides and moved to his desk.

"Well, she had no one but he's left a wife and children. Have personnel break the news to the wife gently. Also have S… Miss Green's apartment collected and sanitized."

"Lord," thought Gray as he watched his superior seat himself at his desk and pick up the mission file, "she's dead yet he continues to refer to her by her work name."

As he began reading the contents of the file White spoke again. "Schedule the mission autopsy for 9 tomorrow. We will know why and we will know who and if we can, we shall return this favor."

Looking up from the file to his subordinate White managed a small smile "I know they were your friends and I realize this must difficult for you Mr. Gray. If you need some time, afterwards, I'll allow it."

Gray nodded but said nothing.

White's attention returned to the file. "Thank you Mr. Gray. That will be all for now." The memorial service was over because the world continued to spin and life would continue without Team Green.

Gray was headed for the door when his superior's next words stopped him.

"We should never marry Mr. Gray; it's cruel to do so."

Day 17 - 0732 GMT – Gray's Apartment

The telephone call caught Gray with a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Hgumph?"

"Sir, sorry to call you at home but there's a problem and the Director would appreciate your input before today's Board meeting. He's sending a car."

Swallow and answer with your voice normal he reminded himself "Oh, it's not a problem at all. Please tell the Director I will be there straight away."

"Oh God, a wheels come off something big!" Thought Gray as he dove for his closet "Today, not tomorrow – the code word for absolute priority." Gray briefly considered saving time by throwing on a sweatshirt and jeans then sighed and reached for one of his suits instead. Some things simply weren't done.

Day 17 - 0735 GMT – Upperton, Colorado

The storm was something out of Wagner, the rain had soaked her, chilled her to the bone and she was in too much pain to move. To distract herself from the pain a dispirited Shego focused on how Dr. Drakken had failed, again. This plan really looked like it was working until Kim Possible, her stupid sidekick and her even stupider Supersuit showed up to save the day. Damn that Supersuit, she and Kim had sparred many times but this time not only had Kim won but she'd really inflicted some damage. Some ribs were definitely broken, Shego could barely feel her left arm and every time she put weight on her left leg the shooting pain almost caused her to black out.

"It's time to fall back and regroup." Shego thought as she limped painfully through the storm and away from the site of the disaster. "No sense in hanging around waiting for the authorities to arrive. Focus on getting clear, then hide somewhere, and then…"

Shego didn't really hear the words Kim Possible said but knowing she was caught Shego spun to face her adversary and dropped into a fighting stance while thinking "Doesn't she EVER give up? Okay, if she wants me she is going to have to work for it."

The thunder subsided momentarily and Shego heard Kim's next words clearly.

"You know what I hate?"

Badly damaged, her hair plastered to her face and barely able to hold her fighting stance Shego reached deep for a smile and taunt her for her enemy. Her body might be on the point of collapse but her pride was a strong as ever. "What, that your boyfriend melted?"

"No. You." Kim stuck as she spoke. Shego simply couldn't move fast enough to block Kim's kick and then was lost in an ocean of pain as she sailed though the air until…

Blackness

The feeling of rain on her face, she could smell burning, where was she? What had happened to her? Shego could see out of her left eye but nothing from the right one. Was it damaged? She tried to lift a hand to explore her right eye and then realized that she couldn't move her arms or her legs and with rising panic realized she wasn't feeling any pain at all. She should be feeling excruciating agony but she felt nothing. Panicking Shego realized she either had major damage to her spine or that she was dying.

Shego heard voices in the distance and then her good eye saw lights coming closer. She tried to call out but could not, she could only wait.

Blackness

A light is shining down from above into her face and hurting her good eye. Shego moans in pain and shuts her eye.

"Hey! Sarge! Sarge! I've found a survivor, over here!"

Shego hears sounds and then the light gets brighter as another flashlight plays over her face.

"Cuff her, drag her to the wagon and throw her in with the rest."

"Cuff her? Are you crazy, look at her Sarge, she needs paramedics and a hospital!"

"No, YOU look. Look around, look at the damage she and the other terrorists have caused. Think what would have happened if Kim Possible hadn't stopped them. She was willing to kill us all so no mercy for her, no doctors, not on my watch. Cuff her and dump her in the wagon or I swear I will end her right here."

Blackness

Shego knows she is seated in the back of some vehicle but things are very foggy. She senses rather than sees Dr. Drakken next to her. He's yelling something but his voice sounds so far away. She wonders if this is what dying feels like. Sitting motionless Shego struggles to stay awake. The vehicle jolts, and she knows it's moving. As it rounds a turn she loses her fight to remain upright slumping forward and twisting she can barely see Drakken's horrified face and then sees his mouth open in a silent scream and him banging his head against the partition to get attention. He's attempting to get her help.

Shego is starting to feel giddy "It's sweet of him to care." She thinks as the darkness begins forcing its way between her and the light. "I wish I was going to live so I could tell him how much I appreciate his trying to help."

Realizing that she's no longer afraid of dying Shego directs a smile to where she hopes Drakken is and then lets the darkness blot out the last of the light.

Day 17 - 0943 GMT – The Center

Gray watched things wind down in the operations room. The crisis is over he mused. The conquest of the world by an army of giant robots has been stopped cold by two 16 year old American kids. "Perhaps," thinks Gray "we're no longer needed. Perhaps it's time to give it all up and drive a cab or shuffle papers as a clerk, or maybe fry…."

"There you are Mr. Gray. Have you a moment?"

Rising from the table he'd been sitting on Gray turned to face his superior suddenly very painfully aware that his tie in his coat pocket rather than around his neck.

"Sir?"

A smiling White advanced toward him with some printouts in his hand.

"Sorry to have you in for something that became a nothing. Saved by two American teens; children really. Makes one feel quite redundant."

White's eyes dropped down to the printouts as he mused over the past 4 hours but then his head snapped up and he grinned at Grey, his brown eyes bright with excitement.

"However, it appears there's something for us in all this after all Mr. Gray. Do you recall a Shego from our acquisition watch list?"

"Where is this going?" thought Gray before deciding to say nothing and let White continue.

"She's supposed to have special powers and several groups have expressed an interest in knowing how those powers work. She's been on everyone's lab rat list for ages, poor thing. Probably why she was with that Drakken fellow, figured he wouldn't lash her to a table and start cutting."

"I do recall her file sir. You have instructions?"

"According to this report she was gravely injured during the excitement and now she's in Upperton General Hospital and very much worse for the wear. She's not expected to live actually. There's a lot of confusion from all the smoke and noise right now and this is our chance to acquire her. Take Pink and a pair of minders and get to Upperton General. Get next to her before someone else does and bring her back."

Gray wasn't so much shocked by his instructions as stunned. Take a team into the ground zero of the biggest event since Pearl Harbor and make off with one of the major players? Perhaps they could stop off in San Diego on the way back and bring back an aircraft carrier too. It would have taken several minutes for Grey to recover his composure but White was apparently unwilling to wait.

"Go! Call Pink and your minders in and brief them for an extraction. Brown will bring the ops center back on line so your team will have a control. Expect your teams travel arrangements within the hour."

"Yes sir." But halfway out the door Gray turned and addressed White again.

"So I'm clear sir. After we get access to her and she's still alive…"

White's brown eyes went very hard. "If Shego is alive you will kill her Mr. Gray. Pink will sign the certificate. Kill Shego and bring her remains back to the Center."

"So it's hardball." thought Gray as he left the Presence. He then dismissed morality from his mind as he had far too much to do and precious little time. He'd probably wind up planning most of the mission while airborne and enroute and he hated that. 


	2. Reception

Reception

Day 21 - 1805 GMT – The Possible Residence

Ron Stoppable might not be the brightest bulb in the Middleton High School marquee but he knew exactly how lucky he was to be Kim Possible's friend and boyfriend.

Of course her hobby, saving the world, did result in him receiving far too many bumps, bruises, burns and broken bones but he couldn't let her do it alone. According to the Gospel of Ron being with Kim was worth the injuries, jet lag and moments of mind numbing terror that was part of the Kim Possible package.

That she was drop dead gorgeous didn't hurt either. Ron could go on for hours about Kim's beauty. He would start at the top with her hair, a vibrant red, full, lustrous mane long enough to cover her shoulder blades. Next he would wax poetic about her clear sparkling green eyes. Then her face, round and so beautiful, enhanced by just a trace of baby fat about the jaw line and cheeks. Her lips, full, firm and able to kiss him breathless. Okay, so she wasn't happy with her chest but given a choice between Kim's sleek, compact bust line and the legendary Rockwaller Rack, Ron would pick Kim. As for her legs and hips, well one reason Ron preferred to walk behind Kim was for the view.

In short, Ron Stoppable was head over heels in love with Kim Possible. The lean, clean bondiggity feminine supreme with a wonderful life behind her and a bright future before her. Small wonder her face's default setting is a smile.

Usually.

Right now she was killing him because he didn't know what to do.

The sobbing ball on the bed in Kim's loft bedroom had the hair and body of Kim Possible but her face was nothing like Kim's. Red rimmed green eyes shone wetly as tears rolled down her face. The mouth that loved to laugh and smile hung open as Kim struggled to breathe and sob at the same time. Her fists crushed her Pandaroo to her chest as she processed what her Mother had just told her. Ann Possible had tried hard to break the news gently but all Kim could focus on was the bare bones of the news.

Shego was dead and she, Kim Possible, had killed her.

*Twenty Minutes In The Past*

Kim sat on her bed knowing that something bad was happening before her Mother said a word. Kim knew the bad-news-for-Kimmie drill. Dad and the Tweebs busy being elsewhere, check. Her Mom calling Ron to come over without telling Kim, double check. Then her Mom speaking with Ron downstairs before sending him up to her room, triple check and darn.

Kim thought she was about to be grounded but as soon as she saw Ron's pale face she knew either Bueno Nacho had gone out of business or she was in a lot more trouble that she thought. Rethink that, Ron wasn't in melt down mode so it couldn't be anything as bad the loss of Bueno Nacho, could it?

Ann Possible's face kicked Kim's heart rate up another notch as soon as she saw it. Her Mom had her lost-a-patient look and Kim's back brain shouted "Grandmother Possible, sick, dying, gone!" while her body involuntarily scooted back to the head of her bed and the wall as if the distance would make the bad thing go away.

"Kim, I have something to tell you and I need you to be strong." Ann crossed the room and sat at the foot of Kim's bed her blue eyes focused on her daughter's green ones. "First of all a lot of mistakes were made, she was badly hurt and the rough handling and lack of care made a bad situation… terminal." Ann paused and then took a deep breath and delivered the final blow. "Shego died."

Time stopped.

Kim's first thought was "Shego is dead, gone, no more, never to be seen again."

Then as if she was watching a video replay Kim saw her foot kicking Shego, Shego flying through the air and impacting into the tower, voltage surging through Shego, Shego falling two stories and then the tower collapsing, probably onto Shego. Fast forward to her last glimpse of a battered, nearly comatose Shego before Ron slammed the door on the paddy wagon. She'd laughed at Shego's frizzy hair. Then a fast forward replay of her and Ron going home, changing, returning to the Prom, dancing, laughing, kissing, falling in love.

While Shego died.

Died because she, Kim Possible, had beaten her to death.

Her gut churned and Kim wanted to scream, to howl to get on her knees and beg someone, anyone to turn back time, to make the kick never happen. Instead she began to hyperventilate and tears started to stream down her face. Grabbing her Pandaroo she curled up in a ball around it as the first sobs wracked her slim frame.

Shego was cruel, evil, a crook, dangerous and a menace to society but Shego had never killed anyone or anything. Shego was beaten and fleeing before Kim caught up with her and…

She remembered the Park Ranger telling her "You saved a life Kim Possible." Now she had taken one. Shego's. The realization came crashing down on her that she truly was the Girl Who Could Do Anything; including butcher a defeated foe.

Kim wanted so badly to get herself under control but her grief and pain and regrets were a tsunami that swept her composure and control away. In it's wake it left a frightened, miserable girl who realized that the world was a very dark place and that she was part of the darkness.

Day 21 - 1927 GMT – Receiving and Sanitation

Consciousness returned with a pop. One moment she was watching the darkness close in and now she was reasonably conscious and in a fair amount of pain. She wasn't going to be running any marathons but it felt like all of her appendages were present and accounted for.

Time for an environmental inventory. Not much light on her eyelids, outdoors? No, on her back in a bed, covered by a sheet. A vague medicinal smell and the feel of gauze against her skin, hospital? No, there's always some sort of medical crap beeping and humming in the background and the room was silent. Besides, the bed was too wide.

Was she alone? No, she heard the sound of a page turning and weight shifting in a chair or perhaps a bed.

Well hell, this was about as much information as she was going to gather playing possum. Time to open her good eye and greet the new day, night, afternoon, whatever.

Callooh, callay oh frabulous day! Both eyes opened, both worked, great, one less thing to worry about.

Scan the room with her two (thank you God) eyes. White walls, natch, florescent ceiling lights, currently off, lit floor lamp in the corner by the foot of the bed away from the door and next to a chair.

Chair, occupied by a female, 40ish? White lab coat, perhaps a hospital after all. Blonde hair that she really should take better care of as the lamp illuminated her split ends giving her head halo effect. Hard to tell eye color but definitely dark pupils. No contacts lenses given she held a pair of reading glasses in her left hand and a paperback in her right with her thumb marking her place.

Pretty face, pale skin and a slim build that reminded her of the Mother of the asshole that had kicked her into a tower. She made eye contact and the other woman smiled, not a grin but a warm sincere smile that fleetingly reminded her of her own Mother's smile when darling daughter had made her especially proud.

Before she could ask any questions the other woman spoke.

"Shego, I'm so glad you're awake. You are safe, you are not in any trouble so don't panic as I would prefer your adrenaline levels remain low. My name is Pink."


	3. Arrival

Ms Green – Chapter 3 – Arrival

Day 21 - 1935 GMT – Receiving and Sanitation

To say that Shego was caught off guard by the woman's first words was an understatement. In her defense Shego had been beaten, electrocuted and then had a tower dropped on her in the recent past so allowances should be made; especially as she was in that fragile mental realm between After Waking and Before Coffee.

'Pink?' thought Shego 'Pink isn't a name it's a color.' Unbidden, one of Drakken's rants popped into her mind 'Specifically pink is any of a group of colors reddish in hue, of medium to high lightness, and of low to moderate saturation and... Argh! Drakken! Get out of my head!'

The woman with the highly unlikely name of Pink took Shego's silence as permission to continue.

"Yes, it is an odd name, isn't it? That's why I always introduce myself by saying 'My name is Pink.' rather than 'I'm Pink.'. Otherwise people tend to respond with some nonsense such as 'Well, you look pretty tan to me.' and boom the conversations run right off the track."

Great, a blatherer. She and Stoppable should form a club.

"So Shego, how do you feel? Can you understand what I'm saying?"

'Okay, fair questions.' Said Shego's back brain. 'No reason to not answer or to lie comes to mind immediately. Besides, a dark corner of her mind snarked, we can always blast her later if she becomes too annoying.'

"Yes," rasped Shego, her throat feeling like she'd been gargling razor blades. "I can understand what you're saying. I feel like I've been hit by a cement truck with red hair and then had a building dumped on me."

With a tut Pink rose, put her book on the dresser next to the chair (marking the place with her reading glasses) and moved to Shego's side.

Shego took advantage of the pause to ask her own questions. "Um, Pink, where am I, how did it get here, what day is this and where's Drakken?"

"A moment please, first I need to check a few things now that you're awake."

Pink busied herself taking Shego's pulse, checking each eye with a penlight and then doing a range of motion check on both Shego's left leg and arm. Pink's touch was gentle and her actions professional indicating some kind of past medical training. Surprisingly aside from some stiffness on her left side and tenderness in her chest Shego felt quite well except for a few aches that aspirin could probably handle though she wouldn't say no to a little morphine.

Since conversation wasn't required Shego took the opportunity to examine both Pink and the room.

Except for the tacky florescent overhead lamps and drop ceiling the room looked like a slightly larger than standard hotel room with a 12 foot ceiling. The furnishings included a five drawer dresser, two floor lamps, nightstand to her right with a table lamp, a desk/table with a chair, the blue wingback chair Pink had been sitting in but no television, computer or telephone. Three doors, through one she could see tile flooring, probably the bathroom, another farther down (closet?) and the last a heavier looking door of the imitation blond beech wood de rigueur for doctor's offices (was she in the US?) probably led to the hall, lair, whatever. Also missing were windows and any sort of art on the walls. The HV/AC vents were too small for anything but Stoppable's rat but the ceiling did look promising. Finally the bed, queen size, memory foam mattress, white cotton sheets covered by a green blanket and four pillows, three of which were arranged to prop Shego up into a sitting position.

Now Pink. White lab coat over a white button-down oxford shirt. Shirt tucked into a dark green skirt, knee length and below that, nylon clad legs and espadrilles. Her watch is a Breitling chronograph so clearly Pink isn't hurting for money, or hadn't been. She has a slender but not athletic build and is about five and a half feet tall. No perfume or jewelry except the watch. Hair, light brown with red highlights and shoulder length; the cut looked like her stylist had a clue. Eyes a deep brown set in an unremarkable Anglo-Saxon face though the nose looked like it had flirted with the idea of being pert.

Well, that was all the time Shego wanted to spend cataloging her surroundings. It is, Shego decided, officially time for weird name to cough up some answers and then Shego could decide whether to stay or just light up her ass and leave.

Note to self; first take the watch THEN light her up and leave.

"There." Said Pink favoring Shego with another smile. "All done and thank you. You're really mending incredibly fast."

"Now I am going to answer your questions but before I start you need to drink something, okay?" without waiting for an answer Pink poured a glass of ice water from the carafe on the nightstand by the bed and handed the glass to Shego.

Shego took a sip (water not vodka – damn) and then chugged down the rest. The water felt very good on her patched throat. As Shego handed the glass back to Pink for a refill she glanced at the top of the nightstand and mentally froze.

There was hardly any condensation on the top of the nightstand. The carafe couldn't have been there for more than five minutes. Meaning that Pink had probably allowed herself just enough time to place the carafe and pose in the chair before Shego woke up. Pink knew exactly when Shego would awaken. The ring was certainly an indication that these people weren't idiots. Not a good thing.

"Now then," said Pink as she watched Shego sip the second glass of water. "to answer your questions in reverse order; your Dr. Drakken is free but off working on another project elsewhere. It's almost five days since you were injured. When you arrived you were unconscious and on a stretcher so I'm not surprised you don't remember the trip here. I don't know how you got to the dock but you arrived here two days ago on the supply submarine. Finally, this is a Henchco Safe House where you can recover your strength without worrying about the authorities."

"And Shego, don't worry about what all of this is costing. Apparently your Dr. Drakken paid for everything in advance. I did hear that he had to pay in cash. Something about payment difficulties during a previous transaction with Henchco?"

Ignoring Pink's subtle offer to gossip about the big blue idiot Shego cleared her throat and asked "I can't picture Dr. D escaping without my help. Really, he's such a goof that I can't. Do you know how he managed it?"

"Oh my yes," said Pink with an unsurprisingly girlish giggle (gag) "everyone's been talking about it because it's really quite funny. Apparently when you collapsed the two guards stopped the truck and went to the back to check on you. When they opened the door one of your Dr. Drakken's really big, fat henchmen…"

"Bob"

"That might have been him Shego but I wasn't told. Anyway he, Bob I guess, fell out of the truck and onto them knocking them both unconscious. With the guards out of the picture it was easy for your Dr. Drakken to get away. He took you with him and here you are."

Shego made a sound somewhere between a snort and a chuckle as she pictured Drakken's 'escape'. That sounded so like Dr. D.; blind luck rather than brilliance. She'd have to reward Bob with two dozen donuts for handing her this piece of mocking gold.

"You know" said Pink looking a little wistful "he must really care about you to go to all the trouble of rescuing you and making sure you'd be safe before he returns to battle the world. It's really" Pink sighed "terribly romantic of him, don't you think?"

Thankfully Shego's stomach was empty so she couldn't have horked if she wanted to. 'Oh snap.' She thought 'She's probably a Jane Austen fan.'

Shego was handing Pink the glass for a second refill when another question occurred to her. "So what's this submarine thingy you mentioned earlier?" Shego asked as she accepted the glass back.

The hint of a frown passed over Pink's face (whoa, stop the presses) "Actually this place is little unnerving for me. You see Mr. Hench wanted this facility to be totally secure so he had it built at the bottom of the sea. You probably wouldn't realize that we were nearly a mile below the surface if no one told you. Of course being this deep means we don't have any radio or television reception and Internet access is out of the question. We do however have a wonderful library, a game room and a fitness center which is a good thing since our chef is a wonder."

"Speaking of which Shego, would you like a snack? It's been awhile since you've eaten. I could have some broth and crackers brought in along with some raspberry tea. Would you like that?"

"No." said Shego as she leaned back against her pillows "I'm not really hungry. Actually I'm feeling pretty tired so I'll sleep for a bit. Okay?"

Pink positively radiated empathy and understanding. "Of course Shego but tomorrow your physical therapy begins so be ready. I'll be in to wake you at nine."

As Pink busied herself with turning on the lamp on the nightstand, turning off the floor lamp and collecting her book and reading glasses Shego mulled over this latest bit of information.

"Is that 9 a.m. local?"

"Oh yes."

"So what's the time difference between here and Upperton, Colorado?"

"Oh Shego," said Pink with such a sweet smile that Shego felt in danger of diabetes "that would be telling."

"Anyway" continued Pink cutting off any chance for Shego to protest "I don't know if you'll feel like doing any reading or not but I'll leave my book for you. It's really good and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Goodbye Shego."

"Uh yeah, thanks. Goodbye, um, Pink."

With a last smile (God! The woman's good humor was relentless!) Pink let herself out of the room. Listening intently Shego didn't hear any electronic clicks or the sound of a bolt being thrown so it was probably safe to presume that she wasn't locked in. Of course if they really were a mile under the ocean locked doors weren't the major obstacle to escaping; if she needed to.

Shego settled back on her pillows and mentally analyzed all that she'd learned since returning to the land of the living.

All of the things she'd been told fell into one of three categories; true, probable or false…

'Excuse me.' Said one part of her brain 'Aren't the category names supposed to be true, possible or false?'

'Yes they are' snarled the dark side of her brain 'but we're currently having issues with the word 'Possible''.

True –

She had been injured and was recovering.

Medically they were very, very sharp as evidenced by the carafe.

She currently had no way to contact the outside world.

Pink knew her favorite tea.

Pink wasn't going to tell her where the base is located, at least not immediately.

Probable –

She wasn't a prisoner.

She was in a submarine lair.

Dr. D had escaped and taken her with him. (two dozen donuts AND a pizza for good old Bob)

It had been four days since she fought Princess.

She was going to hear the phrase "That would be telling." a lot in the future.

False –

Drakken hadn't arranged for her to be here. He had put nearly every nickel he had (except for the Shego payroll reserve) into the Diablo scheme so he could not have come up with the cash to pay for this bolt hole.

Drakken wasn't putting together a new plan. He'd mope and sulk for at least two weeks when one of his minor plans fell apart. Considering the effort he put into the Operation Diablo he probably wouldn't leave his room for anything but Coco Moo and Lemon Squares before Christmas.

This definitely wasn't a Henchco facility. Jack Hence might be a smarmy lizard oily enough to justify putting up a derrick but he was also pathological about breaking any laws. Jack would sooner lose his company than get involved in anything illegal no matter how much money was offered. Yeah, Jack Hench would happily die before he'd assist her and Drakken.

So Shego was left with all sorts of questions that she knew Pink wouldn't answer.

Who controlled Pink and this facility?

Where was she?

Where was Drakken?

How did they know about the tea?

What else did they know about her?

What did they want from her?

Aarrgh! It was frustrating having these questions and others flying around in her brain like crows disturbed from their rook. Shego recognized she was wasting time and mental energy but the spoiled 5 year old girl part of her brain kept stamping her feet and demanding to know NOW!

She didn't have enough information yet but that would change. Yeah, that would change and perhaps they'd regret dancing her around like this. Start tomorrow, there's no sense in worrying about things right now.

To distract herself Shego picked up Pink's book from the nightstand and read the title.

'Sense and Sensibility'

She was so taking that watch.


End file.
